Snowed In
by kazoquel4
Summary: Percy and Annabeth embark on a ski vacation- only for Percy to fall grievously ill and a storm to hit that snows them in, cutting them off from civilization. Annabeth has to employ every nursing tactic she knows to get him healthy again. Percabeth Fluff.
1. Chapter 1

When Annabeth stomped through the door, dripping wet and half-frozen from the icy weather outside, she was not amused to find Percy sitting in front of the fire, casually flipping through channels on the television.

She trudged over and threw her gloves on the table in front of him. He started, looked up at her, then gave her a lopsided grin.

"You're back!" he said cheerfully.

"I'm back," Annabeth grumbled, struggling out of her snow jacket. "I'm back and freezing. Scoot over."

He made room for her on the couch. She dropped down, exhausted, and stuck her hands closer to the flame for warmth.

"Hey, don't be mad at me," he said, throwing an arm around her shoulders and squeezing. "You were the one who wanted to check out the ski lodge."

Annabeth relaxed as the water dissolved off of her, compliments of Percy's powers . The chill that had settled in her bones on the walk over alleviated and she fell against Percy, weary but slowly warming up.

"It's a twenty minute walk, Percy!" she complained. "And five stupid inches of snow fell last night. You said this cabin was a short way to the lodge!"

Percy looked slightly abashed. "It was either this or a tiny hotel room," he said halfheartedly. "I thought you would like the privacy."

Annabeth sighed, feeling her anger start to dissipate. She knew he had only been thinking of her when he had rented this two-story cabin out in the woods instead of staying in the small hotel near the ski lodge.

When he had first approached her with a two-week ski vacation for their anniversary, Annabeth had been surprised. Not only had she never once thought about going up to the mountains, Percy had never expressed the slightest interest in snow. He had always been more of a beach guy, which is understandable given his parentage. Nevertheless, she had been pleased with the idea of it, and was eager to try something new. She had been even more thrilled when he had rented out an entire cabin for them, complete with a bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen, and a small study for them to use as they pleased.

What she hadn't counted on was them being a little more than twenty minutes away from civilization.

"I know," she sighed, taking his hand and squeezing it. "It's fine. Really," she added upon seeing his doubtful expression. "We'll just be very fit by the time this trip is over."

He smiled and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "That's the spirit," he said happily, reassured that his girlfriend wasn't mad at him.

She pushed herself to her feet, shuffling over to the kitchen as she pulled off the rest of her snow gear. They had only gotten there this morning, so a lot of their supplies were still in boxes on the counter. Rifling through one, she pulled out a box of cookies and opened it, walking back over to the couch.

"Ah," she said, falling back on the couch and leaning against him. "Now I'm warmer. Let's find a movie to watch."

She offered him a cookie and he took one, taking a big bite. She was just getting settled in for a movie night, warm and snuggled up in their cabin, when Percy moved, gingerly pushing her off.

"Sorry, Wise Girl," he apologized, "but it's my turn to go see the ski lodge."

He moved to the closet and pulled out a sweatshirt. Annabeth turned in her seat to glare at him.

"Now?"

He shrugged. "I did my fair share of unpacking while you were gone, and now I want to go check things out. I'll be back with dinner, and then we can watch our movie, okay?"

He pulled open the door, letting in a fresh wave of cold that made Annabeth shrink away, hiding behind the sofa.

"Can't this wait until tomorrow?" she pleaded.

He grinned as he pulled on a beanie. "Aw, I think she wants me to stay."

She made a face at him. "I want someone to unpack my stuff."

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Annabeth."

She frowned as he stepped outside, pulling a thin pair of gloves out of his pocket. "Where's your ski jacket?"

He dismissed that idea with a wave of his hand. "It's in my suitcase, and I don't feel like getting it out. It's only twenty minutes; I'll be back in no time."

"Percy, it's below freezing out there!" Annabeth complained. She didn't want him shuffling back in here ten minutes later, half-frostbitten and reprimanding her for not warning him earlier.

"I'll be fine."

"Wear mine," she offered, holding up her grey one.

Percy raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you kidding? I'll never fit into that. Plus, I'll look stupid."

"You look even more stupid in only a sweatshirt. You're not even wearing a scarf!"

"I've got gloves," he said, holding his hands up and wiggling his fingers.

Annabeth sighed, sitting back against the couch and crossing her arms. "On your own head be it," she warned.

He grinned, winked one last time, and was gone, disappearing out into the frosted landscape.

* * *

Annabeth was just starting to doze off an hour later when the door flew open and Percy walked in, his hood drawn low over his face.

She blinked a few times as she sat up, turning away from the television. She had turned on some stupid cooking show while she had waited, and vaguely remembered that they were cooking some sort of pasta.

"Percy?" she yawned.

He slammed the door shut and set some bags down on the counter, immediately walking past her to stand by the fire.

She frowned as he stood there, his shoulders quivering. Getting to her feet, she cautiously stepped over and touched his shoulder. "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

He turned to her, his eyes wide. "I'm c-c-cold," he said, his lips chattering.

Annabeth let out a small gasp, taking in his white complexion and bright red nose. She pushed back his hood, which he had drawn over himself for warmth, and touched his cold cheek.

"Your lips are almost blue!" she said, lightly rubbing his cheek.

Percy furiously rubbed his arms. "C-could you g-get me a b-blanket?" he stammered.

Annabeth hurriedly turned away and ran over one of the boxes. Scrambling through it, she started throwing various articles of clothing this way and that, pushing her way to the bottom, where Percy's mom had carefully packed several heavy quilts. Silently thanking Sally for insisting they were going to be too cold without them, she drew one out and returned to her freezing boyfriend.

"Here," she said sympathetically, throwing it around his shoulders. "Sit down."

She guided him into a cross-legged position right in front of the fire, sitting down beside him. He scooted as close as he dared, so close to the flames Annabeth was nervous the blanket was going to catch fire. He sat with his head bowed, still wracked with shivers.

She shook her head, reached out to draw the blanket more firmly around him. "I told you to wear a jacket," she reprimanded him.

"I th-thought that I would be f-fine," he said, his voice thick. "That m-maybe ice wouldn't b-bother me as much. It's j-just water."

Annabeth sighed. "Seaweed Brain," she admonished, "it's still freezing out there, even if the ice can't get you wet. You weren't even wearing a hat."

He tried to smile at her, but his lips were still shaking. "S-sorry," he said, sounding sheepish. He looked over at the counter. "I b-brought dinner."

She squeezed his shoulder. "We'll eat later," she promised. "I'll make you some hot chocolate, okay?"

She struggled for a few minutes in the kitchen, searching for all the necessary ingredients for the hot chocolate. Meanwhile, Percy sat by the fire, slowly thawing. As she worked Annabeth muttered under her breath, cursing her boyfriend's stupidity and praying to the gods that he would still be up for skiing. He had been so looking forward to trying it out, and he would be devastated if he got ill before he could even attempt it.

When she returned with a mug of hot drink Percy looked a little better. His lips had color in them once more, and his cheeks were tinged with pink, as though he had attempted to put on blush (and completely failed at it). He accepted the drink gratefully, using it to warm his hands before taking a deep swig.

"Ah," he hissed as it scorched his throat. He swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut. "I am so _cold_."

He sounded so exhausted Annabeth took pity on him.

"Tell you what," Annabeth said. "We'll go get our bed set up with all the blankets we have. You can turn in early tonight, and if you're hungry you can just eat in there. You'll feel better in the morning."

Percy cracked open his eyes, and it was obvious the idea was very enticing. Still, he harbored some doubts. "We were going to watch a movie," he said halfheartedly.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well that idea's been shot down. Don't worry; we'll have time to watch movies for the next two weeks."

She got to her feet and helped him struggle to a standing position, then helped him upstairs to the bedroom. When he had settled in under the covers, still clutching his mug, she returned downstairs and gathered up the rest of the blankets. Stooped under the weight of them, she staggered upstairs and dumped them on the foot of the bed, panting.

"Here," she said, shaking them out and laying them one-by-one on top of Percy.

He watched her worked, his eyes half-open. When she had finished she walked to the head of the bed and smiled down at him. "Warm?"

He nodded. "Very. Thank you."

She bent down and swiftly brushed her lips across his. "Get some sleep, okay?"

He sighed, leaning back into the pillows. "Okay."

She took his mug and set it on the bedside table, within reach if he wanted it later. Then she tiptoed out of the room and resumed her position downstairs, occasionally glancing upstairs with a concerned expression.

* * *

The next morning, Annabeth was shaken awake. She drowsily opened her eyes, blinking several times to clear them.

"Percy?" she asked sleepily.

He was sitting up on his side of the bed, looking impatient. A pile of blankets lay scattered across the bed, having been pushed off when he had emerged from his cocoon.

"Come on," he said, "it's nearly nine o'clock, and we have to go skiing."

He got to his feet and started bustling about the small room, digging through his suitcase for his stuff. Annabeth sat up, watching him with a blank expression until he again turned and prompted her to get dressed.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

He smiled, wide-awake already. "I feel great, thanks to your lovely nursing skills last night."

Annabeth snorted as she stumbled to her feet. "I just piled a bunch of blankets on you and threw you in bed."

Percy spread his arms wide. "It must have worked, then."

Still half-dazed from sleep, Annabeth shuffled around, pulling on her ski pants and boots. Pulling her hair back into a low ponytail, she thumped down the stairs, where Percy was tossing some granola bars out onto the counter.

"We can get lunch later," he said absentmindedly. "I want to hit the slopes before it gets crowded."

Annabeth was faintly amused by the skiing terminology he was spewing, despite having never step foot in a ski lodge before yesterday. She slowly clunked over, her feet uncomfortably squished into the boots.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked, grabbing one of the bars and ripping it open.

Percy was digging through the refrigerator for a few bottles of water. At her question, he turned around to look at her over his shoulder.

"Me? I'm just peachy. Just dandy. Just-"

And suddenly he doubled over, a series of sneezes wracking his body.

Annabeth stared as he struggled up again, sniffling. His nose was bright red and raw as he rubbed it.

"Just peachy, huh?" she asked dryly.

"Okay, I've got a little cold," he admitted. "But it's not bad. And it won't stop me from skiing, okay? So just eat your bar and let's go."

Ten minutes later they set out, bundled from head to toe and ready to, as Percy would say, 'hit the slopes'.

* * *

Annabeth was still laughing when they stomped back into their cabin at five o'clock that evening, covered from head to toe in snow. She pulled off her hat and goggles, her hair frizzy from the woolen beanie and her cheeks flushed from the cold and the walk back. She watched with amusement as Percy struggled out of his coat.

"How was your ride?" she laughed.

"Oh, shut up," Percy mumbled.

Percy had scoffed at her months earlier when she had proposed they take skiing lessons during the trip.

"Why would we need lessons?" he had asked. "We'll be fantastic enough without them, they're a waste of time."

Annabeth had been less sure, and when she had first strapped on her skis she had been quite apprehensive. Therefore, she was quite pleasantly surprised when she had been decent on the mountain. She obviously wasn't a professional, but she had held her own and even tackled one of the harder runs after lunch.

Percy, however, had been another story. He had bragged the whole way there, and had even been boasting on the ski lift as they headed up, despite being scared out of his wits from the height they were at. He had claimed it would be just like surfing and skateboarding, both of which he excelled at, and had promptly informed Annabeth that she was going to eat his snow.

Annabeth had nearly doubled over laughing when he tripped getting off the ski lift.

It all went downhill from there- literally. Percy had spent the entire day wobbling around on shaky legs, constantly crossing his skis and face planting into the snow. Compared to him, Annabeth was an expert on skis. He tipped one way, fell, then got up and tipped the other way. By the time he had reached the bottom of the first run, which was little more than a bunny hill, he was quite humbled and had blushed furiously as Annabeth teased him.

His embarrassment had increased tenfold when he had worked up some pretty good speed, sailed about halfway down, then got the tip of his skis caught and tumbled head-first into a snowdrift- whereupon a young girl probably no more than seven years old had easily sailed by, pointing her finger and laughing at him.

Percy stomped his feet, knocking the snow off his boots. "My stupid skis were rigged," he complained.

Annabeth snorted. "Sure. That's what it was."

Percy shot her a look. "What are you saying?" he demanded.

She shrugged, faking a sympathetic look. "Face it, Seaweed Brain. You suck at skiing."

He spluttered for a few moments as she trooped past him, hanging up her coat and pulling off her scarf. "Do not!" he finally said.

"Do too," she said. She walked over to where he was standing, motionless, and pecked him on the cheek. "Don't worry. I still love you."

He flushed and hurriedly began shedding his layers. As he was undoing his boots a sudden fit of coughing overcame him, and he doubled over, shaking with the force of it.

Annabeth frowned and hurried over, bending down to hold his shoulder still as he coughed. When he looked up he met her concerned eyes. "Percy, are you positive you're not getting sick?" she demanded.

He sniffled as he sat up. "Me?" he asked. "I don't get sick."

"There's a first time for everything," Annabeth pointed out.

"I'm not sick, Annabeth."

He got up and walked over to the kitchen, leaving her to follow with a doubtful expression. "You don't seem well," she noted. "Maybe tomorrow we should just-"

"Do you even want to be here?" he demanded.

She stopped, taken-aback. "Excuse me?" she asked slowly.

"I've told you I'm not sick, but you seem determined to stay holed up in here," he snapped, a sudden fire lighting in his eyes that was so out of character Annabeth was frightened of the change. "I know you weren't too keen on this trip, but if you want to leave, you'd better speak up now!"

"Percy, you're being ridiculous," Annabeth called to him, but he had already stomped upstairs and slammed the bedroom door behind him.

Annabeth stood there another moment, motionless from the shock of the ordeal. Then she turned to the couch, walked over, and sat herself down, turning on the television. As she crossed her arms, she tried to smother the concern she felt for Percy, who was acting so out of character, with anger. He had had no right to snap at her like that.

Still, she had no desire to argue with him, and when he emerged from the bedroom half an hour later, his shoulders slumped and his eyes wide and repentant, she quietly acknowledged his apology and accepted it.

Despite her easy forgiveness, Percy seemed to believe he had done a great wrong, and spent the rest of the night in silence, sulking over the whole ordeal. Annabeth let him, still vaguely irritated with his harsh words from earlier, and when it was time for bed, she wordlessly piled the blankets on him and kissed him on the cheek before curling up on the other side of the bed.

* * *

Percy was the one to be shaken awake the next day, and he sat up much slower than Annabeth had the day before. While his girlfriend bustled about the room he lay there, staring up at the ceiling and trying to figure out why his head was pounding so hard.

When he finally started moving his stomach turned, making him so nauseous he was sure he was going to throw up. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore his pounding head and his aching stomach, and when Annabeth asked him if he was okay he quietly told her he was fine.

Percy knew he wasn't altogether well, but he loathed admitting it. He saw no reason to disrupt this trip, which they had planned for so long, just because his tummy felt a little odd. In addition, he rarely got sick; the last time he had been legitimately ill had been when he was ten and had come home from school with the flu. He passed off whatever he had now as a little bug. He would be fine later today.

"The snow's falling pretty heavily," Annabeth noted as she looked out the window, oblivious to his pain. "We'll have to get going if we want to get there before the crowd comes."

Percy wordlessly nodded and got to his feet, silently resigning himself to another day making a fool of himself in the cold.

* * *

The two of them returned earlier that night than before, around three, covered from head to toe in snow. Annabeth struggled to shut the door against the raging wind outside while Percy stumbled to the counter, panting from the trek over.

Around noon the snow, which had been falling hard all day, decided to start pouring down in buckets. They braved the weather for another few hours before eventually the lifts closed and all the skiers returned to their rooms. That left Annabeth and Percy to complete the twenty minute journey back to their cabin alone.

Annabeth looked out the window worriedly after she had finally slammed the door shut and locked it. The wind was whipping up the snow out there, creating a wall so thick she could hardly see. It was only three in the afternoon, yet it could have been midnight for all she knew.

She turned away from the window, not wanting to think about it, and spotted Percy still leaning against the counter, his back to her. She briefly debated asking him how he felt, then bit her lip. What with his outburst yesterday, she wasn't sure he would receive that well. Instead she started taking off her jacket, hanging it in the closet.

"I think a storm is picking up," she said casually.

Percy was silent for another moment before pushing himself up and starting to struggle out of his clothes. "Yeah. Bad news for skiing."

"Mmm." Once she had shed all of her wet clothes Annabeth walked into the kitchen and started getting a pot of coffee ready, eager for something warm to drink.

Percy shut the closet door. "I think I'm going to take a nap," he said, running his fingers through his already messy hair. "I'm a bit tired."

"Okay," Annabeth said with a frown as he slowly made his way to the stairs. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine. Just wake me up when it's time for dinner, okay?"

"Alright."

As soon as he was gone Annabeth started debating her courses of action. While she didn't want to bust in there and whip out her ninja skills to get him to confess to not feeling well, she wouldn't completely pass up the opportunity. If there's one thing she had taken out of three years of dating Percy, it was that he was stubborn when it came to things like this, and he wouldn't say anything until it got really bad.

_Well, I'll just have to hope he's just been tired recently, _Annabeth thought to herself. If he's really sick he'll say something to her soon.

* * *

Percy groggily opened his eyes. He blinked a few times up at the ceiling, vaguely confused about why it was so dark in the room. When he forced himself to turn his head a dark stab of pain pierced his skull, and he had to suppress a shout.

He squinted for a few minutes at the digital clock on the nightstand, slowly deciphering the glowing green letters. Eventually he managed to figure out that it was eight o'clock.

Slowly sitting up, he teetered for a few moments on the edge of the bed, his feet hovering above the floor. A pile of blankets slipped off of him, but he wasn't sure whether to be relieved they were gone or struggling to get them back on. He seemed to be both hot and cold at the same time; sweat caked his forehead at the same time shivers wracked his body.

When he finally stood up his head swam, and he clutched at the bed post to steady himself. Taking a deep breath, he slowly trudged across the room, opening the door and stepping into the hall.

The wind outside battered the tiny wooden cabin, howling with power. The living room was dark below, lit only by the glow of the television. Annabeth was sitting on the couch, a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee in front of her as she watched some movie.

"Oh, hey," she said as he shuffled in. "I was about to wake you up. I just grabbed some cereal from the pantry, but we have a lot of other stuff too, if you want."

The idea of eating made Percy feel even more nauseous than he already did. "I'm not that hungry," he said quietly.

Annabeth glanced at him, surprised. "Really?"

He shrugged halfheartedly. "Yeah."

They sat in silence. Percy stared at the flickering images on the screen, not really focusing on it. He was too busy thinking about his pounding head and his twisting stomach and how much he really _really _didn't want to vomit. He was just regretting getting out of bed when Annabeth, apparently deciding they needed to focus on something more cheerful, suggested they watch a movie. Percy fool heartedly agreed.

Thus so he was forced to sit through two hours of some historical fiction movie Annabeth had turned on, although he spent the majority of it half-dozing off and wallowing in self-misery. When the credits finally started rolling at the end he stumbled up, startling Annabeth, who was half asleep on the other side of the couch.

"Bed again?" she asked.

"I'm still tired," Percy muttered. "I'll see you in the morning."

And he was gone before Annabeth could say another word.

* * *

Annabeth woke up early the next day and spent the morning sitting at the window, staring outside. The wind was still blowing full speed, whipping snow this way and that. Their little cottage was half-buried because of the gale, and it didn't seem like it was going to let up soon.

The first thing she had done when she had spotted the weather was call the ski lodge. They informed her that, because of the weather, all the lifts were closed. In fact, the hotel was snowed in, and it was strongly advised not to leave the cabin. The snow plows couldn't get anywhere in this weather, so they were stuck here until the storm stopped. Going outside was a death wish. It would be easy to get lost out there and freeze to death.

Annabeth wasn't sure how long they would be stuck here, but she wasn't looking forward to telling Percy his trip had been delayed.

As the time bore on she began to get impatient. The cabin was so quiet without Percy, who was still sleeping. She wanted to talk to him and make a game plan for what they were going to do, but she couldn't very well do that while he was asleep.

Walking over to the foot of the stairs, she shouted up, "PERCY!"

There was a beat of silence, and then she shouted again. Finally, a hoarse voice shouted down, "What?"

"Come down, I need to talk to you," Annabeth called up.

While he woke up she returned to the kitchen, digging through their boxes of food. Due, once again, to Sally's worries, they had way over packed on food. She had to remember to thank Sally for that, too. They had enough supplies to last a week or more in this cabin, although she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She was just starting to sort out their rations when Percy came down, still wearing his pajamas and rubbing his eyes.

"What?" he asked in a croaky voice.

"We're snowed in," Annabeth said briskly, digging through the boxes. "I don't know for how long. I'll need your help sorting through everything and figuring out what we should eat each day. I mean, obviously we won't be having any lavish feasts, but we should be able to live quite comfortably for a week or so. Could you grab some of the boxes we put into the study and carry them in here?"

Percy hesitated. "Annabeth, I'm tired," he said quietly.

She rolled her eyes, used to his tired protests. He loathed waking up. "Well there's nothing I can do about that. I'm tired too, but you don't see me moping around. Go on, then, get the boxes."

He lingered a moment longer before turning and trudging into the study.

Annabeth dumped a box of chips out onto the counter and frowned at them before sorting them into different piles. As she worked Percy came and went, slowly bringing box after box into the kitchen. Annabeth didn't pay much heed to him, too focused was she on making sure everything was organized.

The only thing that really alerted her to his comings and goings was a great crash from the study. Annabeth jumped, dropping the cans she was holding and whipping her head to look towards the hallway.

"Percy?"

She waited for Percy to poke his head into the hallway, smile sheepishly, and tell her that he had just tripped and that everything was fine. When he remained missing, she started pushing her way through the boxes to the hallway, shouting his name.

"Percy!"

When she came into the study she threw her hands over her mouth. Percy was sprawled out on the floor, his head lolling to the side, his eyes shut. A cardboard box lay broken beside him, spilling its contents onto the floor. Annabeth hurriedly stepped over this and dropped to her knees, her heart beating heavily as she reached for her boyfriend.

"Percy? Oh gods- Percy? Can you hear me?"

She checked his pulse, making sure he was still alive, then leaned over and felt his forehead. As soon as she touched the skin she let out a gasp of shock and pulled her hand back. He had a burning fever that made his forehead hot to the touch.

Turning him so he was lying on his back, she leaned over him and gently patted his cheeks, her eyebrows furrowed with worry. The color had dropped from his face and lips, making him as white as a sheet, and a thin sheen of sweat shone on his forehead. His eyes were half-open, but he showed little signs of consciousness.

"Percy? Gods, you idiot." She knew it. He _had _been sick, and decided to be the stubborn Seaweed Brain he was and not say anything. Now here he was, passed out on the floor with a raging fever. To make matters worse, she doubted she would be able to get any help.

Getting to her feet, she sprinted back into the kitchen, grabbed the phone, and frantically dialed the ski lodge. After a few moments static took over the line, and she slammed it down.

"For the love of Zeus!" she shouted out of pure frustration. The phone lines were dead!

Wetting a dish towel with cold water, she hurried back into the study and sat back down next to Percy. Maneuvering his head into her lap, she started dabbing at his forehead, hoping to cool him off while she figured out what she had to do.

She knew she had to get him to the couch, or better yet their bedroom, but with all the training he did and all the muscles he had gained, he weighed a ton. Annabeth wasn't a weakling, but there was no way she would be able to carry him, not even out of the study. She frowned as she looked around the room, frantically trying to find some way to get him out.

An idea occurred to her. She gently lowered Percy's head back to the ground, leaving the wet towel on his forehead, and hurried upstairs into the bedroom, where she grabbed a big, sturdy blanket. Returning to the study, she laid it out on the floor next to Percy.

"Sorry, Perce," she said, feeling bad for what she was about to do. There were no other options, but she had a feeling this might not help his situation much.

Returning to Percy's side, she started rolling him as gently as she could, working him onto the blanket with a series of pushes and lifts. He didn't wake up throughout the process, but he did elicit a series of pain-filled groans that made Annabeth wince. When he was finally safely on the blanket, she stood up and grabbed the top of it, bracing herself against the wood floor.

The initial start was difficult, but then she started gaining momentum. Yanking the ends of the blanket, she slid him out of the study and into the hallway, gradually coming into the living room. It was hard work, and she was breathing heavily by the time she reached the couch, but Percy had been moved relatively undisturbed.

Pulling him right up in front of the couch, she slipped her arms underneath him and gave one great heave. At the last second he slipped out of her arms and rolled face-first onto the couch, but she hurriedly corrected that. When he was finally positioned she sat down next to him, still panting but proud of her efforts.

When she had caught her breath again she headed upstairs to grab the rest of the blankets and returned to the couch. Carefully tucking Percy in, she arranged the pillows so he was as comfortable as it was possible to be and then picked up the phone again. She knew it was pointless, but she couldn't help anxiously hoping that something, by some miracle, would go through. No such luck, however. With the wind throwing itself at every building and wire in sight, it was a miracle it had lasted this long.

Setting it back down with a heavy sigh, she turned back to her sick boyfriend. Here they were, in the middle of a snowstorm, no way to get back to civilization and no way to call for help- what was she going to do?

**A/N: This will be a short story, probably three parts. Warning: Lots of Percabeth fluff coming up. **

**-Kayla**


	2. Chapter 2

Of all the places to get stuck with an ill boyfriend, Annabeth decided that a snow-covered mountain wasn't necessarily such a bad choice.

Unfortunately, she hadn't thought to bring a thermometer on their trip- honestly, how could she have predicted this?- but she could tell just by touching his forehead that his temperature was very high, perhaps dangerously so. It seemed that every time she put a wet rag on his forehead it grew warm immediately, so she had to switch them out every couple of minutes. It was annoying having to run back and forth from the couch to the kitchen, but by wiggling the latch to the window above the sink she was able to crack it open just a little bit. That left her with a big supply of cool snow to pack onto a washcloth to create a snow compress, which (she hoped) was helping Percy.

In between her trips to the window, she sat by his side and frowned down at him, trying to figure out just what to do. If she knew more about what he had, she might be able to decide on which treatments to give him.

Not that she had an arsenal of medication or anything. They had packed for a ski vacation, not a trip to replenish a hospital. At the most, she was pretty sure she had tossed some Ibuprofen into the bottom of her bag, and some cough drops in case she caught a cold up here. She doubted Percy would need pills relieving cramps during his time of the month, which was the only other thing she had brought.

Annabeth reached down and brushed back Percy's bangs, which clung to the wet rag. He was pale- abnormally so, especially for someone who had historically been quite tan, stemming from the hours he spent in the sun on the beach. His chapped lips made Annabeth wince just from imagining how painful that must be.

Getting up, she walked briskly into the kitchen and poured a glass of cool water. Bringing it back to the couch, she gently sat down on the edge of the couch and pressed the glass to Percy's lips.

"Percy," she said softly, "Percy, will you take a sip of this? Come on, please?"

She had been hoping the prospect of a drink of water might wake him up, but he did little more than crinkle his brow and flop his head to the other side, making the rag slip off his head.

Annabeth sighed and set the cup back down on the coffee table. Reaching down to grab the rag, she hurried back into the kitchen to get more snow, already exhausted from playing nurse.

* * *

About two hours later Percy started showing signs of movement. Annabeth was curled up in the armchair, reading a book and trying not to fall asleep, when a low groan startled her.

She glanced over to see Percy stirring, shifting around and knocking blankets off of him. Putting her book down, she hurriedly got up and went to his side.

"Percy?" she asked hopefully, reaching down and brushing back his hair. "Percy- can you hear me?"

His eyelids fluttered, revealing flashes of brilliant green color. When he looked up at her, his unfocused eyes found a spot just above her head and settled there.

He creased his brow, frowning up at her. "Calypso?" he murmured.

Annabeth's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to stay calm. "No," she said carefully. "Annabeth. Percy, how do you feel?"

Percy wrinkled his nose and shut his eyes again. "Go away, Hera," he muttered grumpily. "No one likes you."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. Being mistaken for the beautiful goddess on Ogygia was one thing- her boyfriend calling her by the name of her least favorite, cow-cursing goddess was another. Although she had to admire his steadfast hatred of her even in his sickly state.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Yes, Percy, I'm Hera. I'll go away as soon as you tell me how you feel."

Percy frowned again and seemed to think about it through his haze. "My stomach hurts," he finally hummed, half-asleep.

"Your stomach?" Annabeth knew she had to speak quickly lest she lose him once again. "Anything else? How's your head."

Percy took a deep breath, and for a moment Annabeth thought he might have fallen asleep again. Then his eyes shot open and he reached out and gripped her wrist, making her jump.

"No," he moaned, wincing, "no, don't send me back there, please-"

"Percy?" Annabeth asked, leaning over him worriedly. She gripped his hand, which was clammy and coated in sweat. "Percy, are you okay?"

He stared straight into her eyes without seeing her. Annabeth looked at her own reflection in his glassy gaze, her worried face looking back up at her.

"Back there!" he groaned, gripping his stomach with his free hand, a look of pain on his face.

"Back where? Percy, where are they sending you?"

"Tartarus!" he choked out, his breathing coming in sharp, fast bursts.

Annabeth squeezed his hand, sympathy growing in her. He must be caught in some kind of fever-induced nightmare about his stay in Tartarus. She understood; she had had the same nightmares almost every night after the war ended, and she had always gone to Percy for comfort. They stopped about a year ago, luckily, and now they only came occasionally. It made sense that now, when he was weakest, the nightmares would return to him.

"Percy," she said, reaching out to stroke his cheek, "it's okay. You're safe, you're never going back to Tartarus, okay? You're okay. Everything's okay, you're here, with me, and you're going to get better, understand? Everything is going to be just fine."

She kept her voice low and calm, trying to bring some semblance of peace to him, and it appeared to be working. While she doubted he actually understood anything she was saying, her repeated mantra was calming him down. His breathing slowed, returning to normal, and he let himself fall back against the pillows, his vice-like grip on her hand relaxing once more.

He shut his eyes and breathed a low sigh. "Promise?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tears burning in her eyes- why, she didn't know- Annabeth leaned down and pressed a kiss to his hot forehead. "Promise," she whispered as he drifted back into sleep.

* * *

When her legs cramped from crouching down next to Percy, Annabeth pushed the coffee table forward and dragged the armchair up next to the couch. Curling up in it, she took Percy's hand in her own and closed her eyes, exhausted. It was only about 2 in the afternoon, but she felt sleep weighing down on her eyelids. She had grown used to the drumming of the snow outside, and the near darkness showing in the windows gave the illusion of nighttime. It wasn't too long, therefore, before she dozed off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

It felt as though she had only just closed her eyes when a harsh grip on her hand shocked her back into consciousness. She looked over, dazed from sleep, to find Percy sitting up, his bright green eyes practically glowing in the dark. In contrast to before, when he had been too unfocused to even recognize her, his eyes were now sharp, bright, and full of panic.

"Annabeth," he croaked out in a hoarse voice, "I don't feel well."

"Yeah," Annabeth said, yawning. "You're sick."

Percy shook his head, shutting his eyes and making a pained expression. "My stomach," he said. "Annabeth, I'm going to throw up."

Annabeth sat there for a moment more, mulling that over, before what he said really dawned on her and she jumped out of her seat, sprinting for the kitchen and yelling, "Hold on, hold on, one second!"

Throwing open the cupboard, she reached in and dug around for a suitable bowl. It was nearly pitch-dark in the cabin, so she had to work on touch alone. Several plates fell out and crashed to the floor, but since they were plastic Annabeth paid them no heed. When she finally had what she thought to be a deep enough bowl, she grabbed it and sprinted back to Percy's side.

He was doubled over, breathing heavily, and he didn't look at her when she shoved the bowl into his hands. Without further ado he was sick, his back and shoulders heaving as he violently emptied his stomach into the bowl. Annabeth perched behind him, out of fire, and rubbed his back, making sure his hair was pulled back and out of the way.

The first one persisted for about a minute, upon which he halted and stood there, bent over the bowl, breathing heavily. Annabeth remained where she was, murmuring words of encouragement, and wasn't surprised when he was sick again.

After the final wave had passed and Percy was slumped over the bowl, exhausted, Annabeth slid off the couch and grabbed one of the towels she had stacked on the coffee table. Percy took it as Annabeth slid the bowl off his lap, pointedly not looking at it as she moved it to the coffee table.

When he had cleaned off the best he could Annabeth handed him the glass of water still on the coffee table. He reached for it eagerly, but she held it away.

"Small sips," she warned him. "If you drink too much too fast you'll be sick again. Don't drink more than half."

He nodded impatiently and took the cup from her. Thankfully, he followed her directions, taking very small sips of the water before handing it back to Annabeth.

"Thanks," he said weakly, sitting back against the cushions.

Annabeth nodded wordlessly and pulled the blankets back over him again. When he was settled she felt his forehead, which was still burning with heat.

"You've got a bad fever," she informed him, sliding back into the armchair. "You woke up a few times, but you were delusional."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"A few hours."

Percy nodded, shutting his eyes again. Annabeth let him relax and get his breath back before speaking again.

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" she asked, sternness seeping into her voice. She knew something like this couldn't have just hit him suddenly. He had to have felt it coming on.

Percy cracked open his eyes again and shrugged sheepishly, looking ashamed. "I didn't want to ruin our trip," he muttered.

Annabeth sighed and rolled her eyes, once more cursing his stupid selflessness. "Percy, your health is far more important than any silly ski trip. I'd rather have you resting and well than collapsing half-dead on the floor because you didn't want to inconvenience _me_."

"I wanted you to have fun," he said weakly.

She took his hand again and squeezed gently. "And I want _you _to be well," she said quietly.

Percy squeezed her hand the best he could. "You said I was delusional," he said, sounding curious. "What did I say?"

Annabeth stared down at their clasped hands. "Well, for one thing, you mistook me for Hera."

Percy let out a small laugh, then winced. "Hera?" he asked. "Jeez, Annabeth, I'm sorry. I must have been really sick."

Annabeth smiled weakly. "Yeah. You were."

Percy frowned up at her, taking in her distracted expression. "Did I say anything else?"

Annabeth hesitated before shaking her head. Percy frowned at her, not convinced.

"Seriously, Annabeth, what did I say? Oh, gods- I didn't propose, did I? Did I say something stupid? Who did I mistake you for- Hades? Because I swear, you're way prettier than old death breath down there."

Despite herself Annabeth had to laugh, shaking her head. "No, Percy, you didn't mistake me for Hades."

"Oh." Percy thought for a moment. "Who'd I mistake you for?"

Annabeth bit her lip, debating on whether she should tell him or not. "You called me Calypso," she finally said, her voice quiet.

Percy froze, his eyes wide. His hand suddenly felt hot in Annabeth's hand, and she let it go, pulling away to curl further up into her armchair.

"Annabeth-" he started, then stopped, apparently lost on what to say.

Annabeth wrapped her arms around herself for comfort, unable to look at her boyfriend. Losing him was her biggest fear. It had been ever since she had been twelve and discovered just how good of a friend he was. When they had started dating and they had gone through that whole fiasco with the Romans, her fear had redoubled. But her first real taste of panic and fear had been when they were fifteen and Percy had appeared to perish in that explosion on Mt. Saint Helens. One long week of thinking he was dead had turned Annabeth into a wreck, and an obvious one at that, judging by the looks the campers had given her during those few days. And when he had turned up again, well and alive, she had just _known _where he had been. She saw it in the expression on his face, the way he would look out at the ocean with that wistful expression- she knew that he had been with Calypso, that she had fallen in love with him, and that he may or may not have fallen in love with her.

She had pretty much gotten over that fear- that he was in love with the goddess he had left behind, and that he always might be- when they started dating. It had always been there, though. She had read books on Calypso growing up. She had been told of her beauty, her kindness, her perfection. Every man she met on that island fell for her in one way or another, and why would it be any different for Percy? Could it be that, after all this time, he was still in love with her? How long would it be until he realized that and broke up with Annabeth?

It was as though Percy could read her thoughts. Despite the pain he must feel, he forced himself into a sitting position and reached out to take Annabeth's hand again, making her reluctantly turn towards him again. His green eyes burned in the dim light, imploring her to look at him.

"Annabeth," he said quietly, "that didn't mean anything. It was probably just a memory- I was sick when I first met her, and I looked up and saw her, just like I looked up at you. I was sick, that's all it was, a memory. The situation was so similar, I-"

"It's fine, Percy, I understand," Annabeth said mechanically.

"No, it's not," he insisted, his voice firm. "I had nothing with Calypso. You know that, right?"

Annabeth shook her head. "Everything on that island is designed to make people fall in love with her, Percy. I wouldn't blame you if-"

"But I didn't!" he insisted, his voice rising. He winced again, and when he spoke once more, his voice was softer. "I didn't fall in love with her. Maybe-just for a few minutes- I might have thought I did. But then I got back to Camp Half-Blood and you and I realized I had never really fallen for her. It was you, it always has been, and always will be."

Annabeth felt uncomfortable, and she was grateful for the darkness, which hid her blushing cheeks. "Percy, you're tired," she said quietly, unsure on how to handle this. "Maybe you should-"

"I don't want to sleep," Percy said evenly. "I need to say this."

Annabeth fell silent.

"Annabeth Chase," he said quietly. He reached up to touch her cheek, meeting her gaze. This time, she didn't look away. "Annabeth Chase," he repeated, a smile breaking his lips. "You were my best friend for so many years I never noticed when I started falling for you. It could have been any time- probably from the first moment I saw you. But one day I looked at you and said to myself, 'Holy crap, I'm in love with my best friend.'"

Annabeth flushed again and looked down at her lap, struggling to hide her smile. "Percy-"

"And these past three years have just reinforced my love for you. You've been there for me through everything, and I can confidently say that I am the luckiest man to ever grace this Earth, because somewhere along the way I met and fell for you. And somehow I managed to trick you into falling for me, too."

Annabeth laughed and shook her head, brushing away the tears growing in her eyes. "I'm still falling," she said.

He grinned at her, and even with his pallor and sweat-coated skin and fever-induced clamminess, Annabeth thought that, right then, he had never looked more handsome.

"I'll be right there to catch you."

Unable to stop herself, Annabeth let out a little sob and threw herself forward, throwing her arms around his neck. He wrapped her in a hug, burying his head in her shoulder and stroking her hair. Annabeth rested her head on his chest. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too."

They sat like that in the dark for a long time, the wind roaring outside their cabin, just reveling in the _thereness_ of everything. They had been to hell and back- literally- yet here they were, tucked away in a little ski lodge on a mountain, together. They were okay- better than okay- and in love, completely infatuated with each other. They weren't perfect, that was for sure- Percy was still waxy and burning up, and Annabeth's eyes and nose were running with emotion, but neither of them cared, because at that moment, everything was perfect.

Eventually Annabeth pulled away and Percy lay back down, exhausted. Annabeth squeezed his hand one last time before getting up. "Get some rest," she said. "You'll feel better when you wake up."

He smiled at her before shutting his eyes, and quickly fell asleep. In the near darkness Annabeth bustled about, picking up towels and washing out the bowl in case they needed it again. When she returned once again to the armchair, she sat back and looked down at Percy, who had rolled onto his side. She smiled at the thin line of drool slipping out of his mouth, and curled back up, completely content.

* * *

**A/N: The fluffiness is tangible.**

**Please leave a review telling me what you think! Thanks for reading!**


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